Mounts

There are a number of different types of mounts; box, book, furniture, stirrup, harness. Most are dress mounts though. The general term ‘mount’ is fine if you are unsure of where it would have been used, or use one of the above. Make sure you describe the shape, and how it would have been attached.

Roman mounts tend to be quite bulky, with thick integral rivets. They can be in many forms.

Early Medieval mounts tend to be defined by their style such as openwork or interlace designs. They tend to have small integral rivets on the back, or holes for rivets. The iron rivet may still be in place.

Medieval mounts come in various shapes, however most common are shield shape mounts and bar shape mounts. Also common are suspension mounts. They can have rivet holes, or integral rivets.

Post Medieval mounts tend to be more floral, and some have more complicated designs. Along with the fittings mentioned above they can have bent integral prongs on the back.

Example description

A complete Post Medieval cast copper alloy bar mount. It is rectangular, with 6 equally spaced circular knops each of the longer outer edges. It has a D-shaped cross-section. The front has decoration, in a floral pattern. On the back are two integral prongs, that are pointed and bent. The mount is complete, and in good condition. It is 34.1mm high, 15.3mm wide and 12mm thick. It weighs 2.5g. This is likely to date to the 16th or 17th century. Similar examples can be seen in Read, Metal Artefacts of Antiquity.